Team defence
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can work as a team to cover the court.
Key learning points
- Move: jumping to block at the net requires great timing.
- Think: staying alert and ready to move if the ball is coming towards you requires quick reactions.
- Feel: achieving as a team heightens the experience.
- Connect: good communication ensures the ball isn't left.
Keywords
Block - a defensive play at net to deflect a spiked ball back into the hitter's court
Setter - the player who "sets" the ball using an overhead pass to a teammate
Libero - the defensive specialist in the team whose main responsibility is to receive serves and spikes
Common misconception
Pupils think a position in volleyball is determined by their physical location on the court.
Rotations do occur based on court location but players are also assigned positions, with an assigned role, which they can move into directly after the serve.
Teacher tip
Allow planning time for the round robin tournament and when pupils are assigning positions.
Equipment
badminton court, longer net (volleyball height), 1 volleyball each, court positions
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which is correct for the start of the serve?
Q2.Which of the following is correct for opponents not attempting to play a shot?
Q3.Which is correct for the take off in a spike shot?
Q4.What can we provide to offer advice to others?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which volleyball position starts in the front row?
Q2.What is the movement of the elbows when executing a block?
Q3.What should a player avoid contacting during a block?
Q4.What should a player shout when they intend to pass the volleyball?
To help you plan your 10 physical education lesson on: Team defence, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 physical education lesson on: Team defence, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom.
Explore more key stage 4 physical education lessons from the Net and wall games: tactics and strategies in volleyball unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.